Rowbotham was the sexual health worker who found herself embroiled in the 2012 grooming and sex trafficking case, which has been turned into a BBC adaptation with the cooperation of the real people who were involved, and Rowbotham has spoken movingly about her time with the girls in the city.

‘The story was sensational and tragic and awful and shook the world,’ she explains to the camera on the Channel 4 show.

‘I’m coming out of a very difficult, dark time. I’m ready to start to live my life again where I haven’t been for such a long time. And be able to just have nice times and not be so stressed or worried or anxious or angry. To be carefree.’

Rowbotham later tells her date that she was a whistleblower, and that her life has been adapted for the BBC drama.

Maxine Peake plays Rowbotham in the show, a three-part series that discusses the reality behind child abuse and sex trafficking.

Three Girls begins with Holly, who is new to Rochdale and keen to make friends, finding herself drawn into a world she can’t escape from, despite trying to get help, with two more stories set to unfold.

Four members of a child sex grooming gang from Rochdale are facing deportation to Pakistan (Picture: Greater Manchester Police)

The Rochdale case identified forty-seven girls as being victims of child sexual exploitation.

An organised sex ring found underage girls for sex, and they were sometimes given alcohol and money so that they would remain silent about their ordeals.

The drama has been created with an aim of telling the victims’ stories, shedding light on how the authorities who were meant to protect them failed, and what impact the abuse has had on their lives.

Rowbotham’s First Dates episode airs on May 23 at 10pm on Channel 4. Three Girls continues on May 17 at 9pm on BBC One.

Support for those who have been sexually assaulted or raped

If you have just been raped or sexually assaulted, try to remember that you are not alone and you are not to blame for what has happened. Here are some simple steps you can take to help ensure your safety:

Find somewhere you feel safe

You might be in shock, so wrap up warm

Consider telling someone you trust about what happened. If you don’t feel comfortable telling anyone yet, you can call the 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline for support on 0808 2000 247 (run between Refuge and Women’s Aid)